In Casualties, Annette Barbier explores the tension between the built environment and the marginalized place of nature in our urban spaces as seen through the plight of urban birds. The lives and deaths of these animals illustrate the neglect and violence the natural world suffers at human hands.

Casualties is a series of experiences; interactive works invite the viewer to explore aspects of the life of urban birds, from those dead through collisions with windows to the nervous responses of artificial pigeons. These encounters, evoking by turns delight, surprise, and discomfort, are meant to spark a shift in consciousness, questioning the way we interact with nature in urban environments.

This work was supported in part by a Faculty Development Grant from Columbia College Chicago. BOLT Resident Annette BarbierOpening Reception: August 22, from 6–9pmExhibition Dates: August 22 – September 11, 2014